The Twilight Hotel
by Star Mahou
Summary: Tomoyo is a maid at a upscale hotel; Eriol is the crown prince of England. How will fate bring the unlikely pair together? Based on J.Lo's new film Maid in Manhattan. (E+T)


Hey, people! I planned on releasing this story later, but I had to now, for reasons that someone might take the plotline. Tomoyo is a maid at a very *posh* hotel, and Eriol is, well… the Crown Prince of England! ^-^ Of course, they run into each other, and it's love at first sight. It's a remake of Cinderella story, and I sort of borrowed the plotline from Jennifer Lopez's upcoming movie, Maid in Manhattan. I don't REALLY know what it's about, but I guessed some from the previews, and modified others. It's not going to go exactly like you've seen it in the previews (OR the movies!). For one thing, Tomoyo does NOT have a son. Anyway, on with the story! ~Star Mahou

THE TWILIGHT HOTEL 

Chapter One

          The Twilight Hotel was the Shangri-la of Tokyo, the Waldorf-Astoria of Japan. The blue-themed hotel was located in downtown Tokyo, where singers, actors, and politicians were guests in its lavish rooms. Such a gorgeous hotel needed a staff. Behind the scenes, workers maintained the hotel's impeccable appearance. The hardest workers were easily the maids. They worked from 6 AM to eleven at night, nonstop. They advised celebrities on clothes then went and took out the garbage.

One of these slaves dressed in a blue skirt and white blouse was Tomoyo Daidouji.

"Tomoyo, here's Mai," Rika, another maid, said hurriedly. "She promised to be good. I'll be back from the doctor's appointment at about four. Thank you ever so much for agreeing to look after her!" Rika rushed out without an answer. Tomoyo smiled at 7-year-old Mai. "Now, Mai, Sakura an I have to go clean rooms. You can play on the floor we're cleaning on, but be careful and play quietly.

Okay?" 

          The seven-year old agreed cheerfully. She knew how hectic a maid's job was. Sakura entered, lugging a cart full of supplies. "Well, let's get started!" she said. Tomoyo grinned. 

          On the 19th floor, Mai sat down in a dusky blue chair, and arranged her doll's hair. Tomoyo and Sakura moved down the hall. 

"Are we going to the actor's room first?" Sakura asked. 

"Yup. I hope he's not there. He complains about everything," Tomoyo groaned. 

"Shh." Sakura unlocked the door, and they moved in quietly.

"It's empty- arigatou!" Tomoyo exclaimed. 

"Oh, look! Wonder which lady he's got in bed this time!" Sakura said, pointing to a faux fur panty. 

"The double-timer," Tomoyo said. "Last week it was that brunette, but yesterday we saw him with that blonde."

          Talking cheerfully, they cleaned the room quickly.

"Next, the singer's," Sakura said. "She has the neatest clothes."

They entered the room- no one. Sakura checked the closet.

"Hey, she wanted these dry-cleaned," she announced.

"Wow, they're not dirty at all. They're awesome," Tomoyo said. Sakura nodded. It was a white mini-skirt, with a sky-blue turtleneck above. A sweater coat of gray went over it all.

"Hey! Try it on, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura said. 

"What? She might come in!"

"No, it's okay. Try it! It looks cute!" Sakura answered. Tomoyo didn't argue. Taking the ensemble, she went into the bathroom. A minute later, she emerged. 

"You're gorgeous!" Sakura crowed. Tomoyo blushed.

"Really?" she asked humbly.

"Come on, look in the mirror!"

          Mai sat, plaiting Vivian's hair. The doll sat quietly. Looking around furtively, Mai brought out some gummy bears from her pocket and secretly snacked. The elevator door opened, and two suited bodyguards, a man, and a golden retriever appeared. Smelling the gummies, the dog ran to Mai. Laughing, she petted him.

"Oh, aren't you such a sweet dog," she said aloud. The young man grinned. 

"You can feed him a gummy bear," he said. Mai carefully gave him one. 

"What's his name?" she asked, looking up. 

"Zeke," the strange man replied. 

"Do you want to walk him? We're going to the park now," he offered.

"Sir, you-" a black-suited man began.

"It's okay. That can wait," he said, silencing the man with a look.

"Can I? I have to ask Tomoyo-san first, then I can go."

"Who's Tomoyo-san?"

"She's looking after me," Mai replied, moving down the hall. 

          Mai knocked on a door. "It's me, Mai!" The door flew open. "Oh Mai! I thought you were someone el-" a lady unknown to the man was standing there. She was the most beautiful lady he had seen, in a blue turtleneck accenting her slender frame, shining amethyst eyes, and wavy, tousled, gray-black hair. 

          The man, however, was well known to the lady.

"Your Majesty!" she exclaimed, bobbing into a curtsy. Mai turned to look at him, wide-eyed. 

"You're a king?" she asked.

"No," he said forcefully, "I'm-"

"A crown prince of England," Tomoyo finished. 

"- Eriol-kun," he said. 

          The news, after a moment, didn't affect Mai whatsoever. He was still, after all, a man with an adorable dog.

"He asked me to walk with him and his dog, Zeke! Can I, Tomoyo-san??? Puhleeeeze?" 

"Come with us," Eriol offered. "Unless," he said brusquely, "your husband is waiting."

"I _don't_- don't. No, I'm just baby-sitting Mai-chan," she said rather hurriedly, blushing.

Eriol grinned. "Well, come with us."

"Okay, sure!" Tomoyo said. "Hold on a moment." She went to Sakura.

"What the hell am I doing?" she asked. "I'm a maid!"

Sakura grinned. "Go!"

"But what about all the rooms?"

"I'll get Chiharu to help. Tomoyo, go- you don't walk with the Prince of England every day!"

Tomoyo smiled. 

          Mai danced ahead, holding the leash of Zeke, who bounded everywhere. The bodyguards discreetly walked behind Eriol and Tomoyo.

"So Mai isn't your daughter?" Eriol asked.

Tomoyo smiled. "No, I'm looking after her. Her mother had to go to an appointment on short notice." Tomoyo didn't know why she felt so at ease with him. He was like a friend, not a famous prince. 

"Zeke seems to like her," Eriol commented.

"Everybody likes Mai," Tomoyo answered. "You asked her on a walk, didn't you?"

"She is cute," Eriol said. Tomoyo grinned- she'd have to tell Rika that the prince of England said her daughter was cute!   
"Why are you in Tokyo?" It's a far way to come from England."  
Eriol smiled. "It's all about diplomacy. There's a UN conference here, and I represent England."  
"Oh, it's the one about nuclear arms, isn't it?" Tomoyo said.   
"Ah, you read the paper. England is just a mediator, though it involves America's arms."

Tomoyo frowned. "I think America should practice what it preaches. It threatens invasion of Iraq because of the concealment of biotech weapons, yet its' scientists have a mass of weapons ready."

Eriol grinned. He hadn't expected it, but he liked a good fight. "But America pledges to protect world peace, whereas Iraq is a terrorist country."  
Tomoyo laughed. "If it protects world _peace_, what was Hiroshima? That was a huge loss of life. America's the biggest hypocrite in the world!"

"But Hiroshima ended a world war," Eriol dissented.

Tomoyo grinned impishly. "That is one topic you and I will never agree on, you scurvy Englishman."  
"True, true. You represent Japan, I England," he said.

"Yes, I represent the major Japanese populace," Tomoyo said.

"Where are you from?" Eriol asked, curiosity piqued. 

Tomoyo giggled. "You don't know my name, yet you want to know my heritage?"

"You don't know _my_ name."  
"Too easy, Crown Prince Eriol of the house of Hiiragizawa, heir to the throne of the United Kingdom, Duke of Derbyshire," Tomoyo recited. 

Eriol winced. "Point taken. Okay, madam, what is your name?"  
"Tomoyo, from-" Tomoyo groped for a random city. "-from Osaka."

"Tomoyo…" Eriol said, wondering about a last name. 

"Tomoyo." No last name needed, she thought privately.

"Why are you at the Twilight Hotel?" 

"I wo-" Tomoyo stopped abruptly. She couldn't tell him she was a lowly maid! "I'm staying here."

"For what?"

"Um…Mai! Get back here!" Tomoyo yelled, getting Mai back from a pond, thanking the gods for the distraction. 

"But Zeke wants water," Mai protested.

"We should be getting back," Eriol said regretfully.

"Come on, Mai-chan," Tomoyo said. 

"So where can I find you?" Eriol asked Tomoyo.

"Why?" Tomoyo countered.

"I like taking walks with you," he said charmingly.

"Really?" Tomoyo asked, astounded. 

"Why? You're smart, beautiful, and witty," he said smiling. 

_And a maid_, Tomoyo thought.

"I can't come tomorrow," she said, "but I'll meet you in the lobby at 11:00."

"Deal. I'll be waiting."

"Doesn't a prince have duties?" Tomoyo asked teasingly.

Eriol grinned. "I can always make time for you."

"Princes are huge flirts," Tomoyo said, straightforward. "Somebody should have warned me."

The both laughed. "Correction," Eriol replied, "Princes are diplomatic."  
"Same thing," she said. They approached the hotel. As they went inside, Eriol saw a crowd of media at the far end of the lobby.   
"Shit," he muttered, as they ran toward them.

"What?" Tomoyo asked. He pointed. "Damn," Tomoyo said, panicking.

"Eriol, I gotta go," she said, giving Zeke's leash to Eriol, and grabbing Mai. "I'll see you tomorrow. Bye!"

She ran off before Eriol could say anything. The media crowded on Eriol, but Tomoyo didn't see. She ran to the maid's quarters, where she changed into the maid's uniform.   
"Why?" she asked, collapsing into a chair. "Why me?"  
          She thought to his smile, his blue, blue eyes, and his voice, a pleasant light baritone. Yes, she would meet him tomorrow. But he was a prince!! _And I'm only a maid_, she thought. _A lowly maid, and he doesn't know._

_Why did fate put the maid and the prince together?_

  
"I like him," Mai piped up. Tomoyo smiled. She did too.

Like it? Hate it?? PLEASE REVIEW! The reviews I get for the first chapter are the most important, they make me go on, or stop. Please review, as long as you read it! ~Star Mahou


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